1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to stock balers for fibre waste bagasse, solid waste, and in particular, to paper balers which include binding apparatus for baling and binding paper.
2. Prior Art
Generally, the first stock baler was the chain drive downstroke type. This baler consisted of a steel box frame with a door on one side. The ram or platen was attached to a chain, and when fully retracted, the platen uncovered the top of the baler leaving the baler open. The stock was fed through the top and when filled, the compression cycle started with the chain transporting the platen over and through the top opening of the steel box, thus closing the steel box. The chain continued pulling the platen downwardly thus compressing the stock. When the amperage on the motor rose to a preset point, the motor would be stopped and the spring loaded brake would hold the stock under compression. The side door would then be opened and the bale tie wires would be placed around the bales to hold them in a compressed condition. After binding the bales of stock, the platen would be raised and retracted to release the tied bale through the side door of the steel box.
A second type of stock baler was the upstroke type in which the platen or ram was chain driven or driven by a hydraulic piston. This baler had a top section similar to the down stroke type baler, but had doors on both sides, rather than just one side. The bottom of the baler extended below ground into a pit. The platen was lowered into the bottom part of the baler below ground and the baler was charged with stock by opening the side door and dumping stock into the below-ground portion of the baler. When filled, the side door was closed and the baler was activated causing the platen to rise and compress the stock against the top of the steel box frame, which was above ground. As the compression rose, the motor amperage would rise and a current relay would trip the power to the motor. A spring loaded brake would hold the stock under compression. One of the side doors would open and the bale would be bound with wire or the like. The platen would be partially lowered to release the bale from compression to permit the bale to be extracted from the baler. Then, the platen would be lowered to the bottom of the baler to repeat the entire process.
The next advancement in baler devices was the horizontal baler. This baler consisted of a steel fabricated rectangular tube with a ram or platen powered by a hydraulic cylinder. Stock would drop through a chute in the top of the tube by gravity. The ram would move toward the stock and shear off excess stock above the chute opening and compress the stock against the previous charge of compressed stock in the rectangular tube. There were two types of horizontal balers and each restricted the baled stock in the rectangular tube in a different manner.
The first type was the closed door horizontal baler. This baler had a steel door at one end of the tube to provide resistance for the ram to compress the rectangular stock. When sufficient stock charges were compressed to form a bale, the ram would stop in the compressed position and bale tie wires would be installed. Then the door was opened and the ram retracted to pick up the next charge. The ram would continue to cycle and compress the stock against the weight of the tied bale until it was discharged from the end of the tube. When the bale fell free, the steel door would be closed and the ram would again be compressing stock charges against the steel door until sufficient stock charges formed a bale.
The second type was an open end horizontal baler (extrusion type). The open end baler included an extended rectangular tube which permits the use of hinged sides so pressure may be applied to constrict the opening to build resistance against the stock being forced through the tube. When the compressed charges reached the proper length, the ram stopped in the forward position. A rubber block was then dropped into the baler to separate the stock into the baled lengths, so that they could be tied while additional charges were being made. Thus, production would not be delayed during the tying operation. This block drop method was discontinued when automatic tying was introduced.
The horizontal balers were successful but presented several problems. The ram had to shear off excessive stock at the feed chute. And when laminated stock was employed, the ram occasionally stalled, shear bar supports periodically bent, and a rooster tail sometimes formed on the finished bale. Moreover, the closed door baler permitted stock grade changes easily, while the open end horizontal baler depended on the surface of the stock for resistance in obtaining uniform bale density. However, when high resistant stock was followed by smooth low resistant stock, a light, loose density bale resulted. Also, both types of horizontal balers employed shredders to reduce the size of the stock to permit passage or conveyance of the stock through the feed chute. The increase in horsepower of the shredder, maintenance of the shredder, and the dust, causing a potential fire hazard, were often additional problems associated with horizontal balers.
To eliminate the shredding operation and to permit the use of large stock (sheets, cartons, boxes), which was incapable of fitting through the feed chute, the Harris and Logemann balers were developed. This baler had a steel box with a hydraulic powered platen or ram positioned at one end of the steel box. One end of the steel box was covered and a shear knife was mounted adjacent the leading edge of the cover. Stock was fed into the steel box through the partially open top. The shear knife cut off protruding stock as the platen advanced the stock toward the closed end to compress the stock. When sufficient paper was compressed under the covered end of the baler, the platen remained in the compressed postition to maintain the stock under compression in a bale.
The stock bale was ejected from the baler by a second hydraulic platen which shoved the bale through a side door. As the stock emerged, the ejection platen would momentarily stop and an automatic tying mechanism would secure the compressed bale.
This device had several disadvantages, namely, the charged stock was generally centered in the baler which produced loosely packed ends; if the operator overcharged the baler, the baled stock would not fit through the side door; and the shear knife was incapable of consistently shearing laminated stock and sometimes the shear knife bent or broke.
To cure the above problems, the next advancement in balers was the N.S.B. American. This baler contained a feed opening in the side of a rectangular tube.
This was achieved by having two intersecting rectangular tubes in which the second rectangular tube included a feed opening in its top surface into which the feedstock was charged. When sufficient stock substantially filled the second rectangular tube, a side ram would shove the stock into the main compression rectangular tube through the above-mentioned side opening. The side ram would remain at this position while the primary compression platen moved forward to compress the stock into a bale. Thus, the side ram served as a side wall for the main compression rectangular tube of the baler.
The no shred baler had a shear point on the feed opening when the side ram shoved stock into the main compression rectangular tube. Moreover, this baler necessitated time-consuming digging out when overcharging the baler occurred.
Consequently, there exists a need for a baler having a large feed opening to eliminate the need for shredding; permit charges in grades of stock without a lengthy adjustment period, predetermine bale weight and stock to eliminate undercharging, overcharging and decrease the need for a skilled operator; and produce uniform density bales to eliminate loose ends.